Now, I don’t remember Old Shambles as it was before its move following the building of the Arndale.
Although I guess I must have fallen across, but by then the place had been much knocked about, first by the Victorians and then by Mr. Hitler’s bombs.
What was left, which wasn’t much but included the Wellington Inn were designated as Grade ll listed buildings in 1952, and that was a real bonus given that the Wellington is the only surviving Tudor building in the city centre.
There is a heap more about the history of the Old Shambles and what was done to it as part of the Arndale development and post IRA bomb rebuild, but that is covered very well for anyone who doesn’t know the story.*
Added to which there are plenty of pictures in Manchester’s Image Collection, of Old Shambles from the early 20th century and back into the century before.**
But these two photographs drew my attention, partly because I have never seen them before, but also because they date from 1969 when I washed up in Manchester.
Between them they perfectly anchor Old Shambles in a place I know.
And that is what pictures should do …. make the link with the past, which in the case of these two I admit is a full 51 years ago but to me remains only yesterday.
Location; Manchester
Pictures: Old Shambles, 1969
*Shambles Square, Manchester, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shambles_Square,_Manchester
**Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
I doubt many will miss the old Shambles Square. It had all the atmosphere of The Moon and featured two of the most emptiest pubs in Manchester.
ReplyDeleteAlways wondered where the original Old Shambles Wellington was after being moved twice.
ReplyDeleteHeld my batchelors night there in 1957, if my memory serves me right
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